Al Gore: The Future

At a time of such political, social and economic uncertainty both in the U.S and abroad, it’s a good thing that we have experienced Washington outsiders like Al Gore to provide some answers. The former vice president and everyone’s favorite environmental activist will be stopping into town to promote and discuss his new book, The Future: Six Drivers of Global Change. Much like his 2006 bestseller and Oscar-winning documentary, An Inconvenient Truth, Gore’s latest lays out a clear assessment of the various emerging forces that will reshape our world over the next decade and decades to come. These six critical drivers include the shifting balance of world powers, the radical disruption of the earth’s ecosystems, advancements in the fields of medicine, agriculture and molecular science and of course, America’s flawed set of economic priorities. You can expect that the Nobel Peace Prize recipient will be addressing more immediate global policies President Obama’s second term might yield, as well as perhaps the specific initiatives the president should be taking to address climate change in the wake of Hurricane Sandy. You can also expect him to dodge questions about the recent acquisition of Current TV, his progressive media channel, by Al Jazeera America. Having personally walked away with an estimated $100 million from the deal, it does little to squelch criticisms that Gore’s activist efforts are motivated by greed. If you’re wondering why admission to the event is as much as a concert ticket, it’s because guests will also receive a signed copy of the book. Needless to say, the event is likely to sell out, so reserve your spot now. —Nicole Finbiner